Quite possibly the live highlight of the year, Lawrence Arabia, touring The Sparrow in July. St Michael's Church was the perfect setting for the Christchurch gig. Merry Christmas Russell and all contributors!

Happy hols all. :-)According to Te Harold we up north are grateful for the rain as it has been so dry up here, yeah right. Having been building for the last month or so I can tell you that the rain has been a bitch.Anyhoo, we all had a fun time yesterday with a lamb on a spit and more beer and food than you could shake a stick at, in spite of the rain. In fact the rain helped a little.Not many bones were broken but I imagine the re were sore bits this morning. :-)

Now get out and spend at the sales so the economy is booming by the time the anointed one returns from Hawaii.or not;-)

I must add, apparently, that... Our friends daughter, who's identity, for employment relations reasons will remain a secret till my deathbed, had to drive back to Auckland for her job at a fast food restaurant, with a fractured wrist.She is one tough cookie, well, four brothers and living in the bush does that,Look out you pansy Aucklander's, the Northern tribes are coming....

Actually, there are the Celtic tribes down South who may rebel sooner than the people of Parnell may consider appropriate.;-)

What a huge project you are doing; I'm equal parts awestruck and envious. That is a serious plan, and the vids make it look so easy. How many metres are those sheets of long-run?

I'm quietly storing Christchurch demolition finds, mainly because I can't help myself; and it's criminal letting them go to waste. Latest was two sets of heavy kauri, multi-paned arch-top french doors for $130. So my thoughts are turning again to building.....

"In difficult times, it does make a difference when we can help each other out. And the benefit flows both ways."

Oh yes, I know what you mean. Lets see....I'll tell you what , if we all chip in to a "fund". I'll oversee it and while it is sitting in the bank, I can make a wee bit of more money for the fund and I'll take a wee cut of it to live on. Let's see...we can use it when we have a personal catastrophe and spread the cost of your rehabilitation or rebuild. That way it won't cost any one of use a shit load to get back on our feet. Let's just call it insurance if you like.

Wow, that's a wonderful idea. YOU could spread the load by conning...er...convincing others to offset any losses amongst your friends who might like a wee cut as well. That will allow US to ensure you won't be lumbered if more than one of us has a major.

Or: Can you imagine just having random levy (yes, a tax) placed on us if a major does happen to someone? It cuts out the clipper in the middle. No "profits" are shipped overseas. No other costs are involved. Simple to administer (can't possibly be worse than CERA).

Bloody great stuff on Music 101 yesterday, A Canadian radio series The Wire, on the history of music recording (with Bob Mould and Stockhausen!) and a wonderful concert by Elbow, Just the ticket for listening to the radio whist raking and re-sowing grass seed,